Roller mounting



Dec. 25, 1962 G. RIDGE 3,069,719

ROLLER MOUNTING Filed Dec. 8, 1960 [UL IIHI' IIIIH IHI'HIHI' 1|" IN V EN TOR. L 50m RD 6 9/065 ZMW ZW States This invention relates to means for rotatively mounting a roller on a carrier member such as the base element or foot of an ironing table.

The object of the invention is to provide a means for mounting a roller or wheel on a carrier which mounting does away with the conventional bearing and pintle assembly providing a significant economy in construction.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a roller mounting assembly which allows the roller to be quickly and easily, yet securely mounted on a carrier member.

While the roller construction and mounting forming the subject matter of this application might well be applied to various structures, it is found to be particularly useful as a means for mounting rollers on the feet of ironing tables to giv them the desired degree of mobility over the table supporting surface. Attention is called to pending application Serial No. 731,459, filed April 28, 1958, by Donald J. Munson and Edward L. Nubson, now Patent 3,018,574, which discloses such a use of roller members on the cross foot of an ironing table. The present invention comprises an improvement over the roller mounting therein disclosed.

With the stated objects in mind the present invention broadly comprises the mounting of a roller having an axial passage in a socket provided in a carrier member by means of a U-shaped clip disposed with its legs on axially opposite sides of the roller and the legs respectively having aligned inwardly directed projections extending into opposite ends of the passage to journal the roller for rotation and also having outwardly projecting latch means for securing locking the clip in the socket.

The above mentioned and additional objects of the invention will be brought to light during the course of the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an ironing table with rollers mounted on a foot member thereof to facilitate manipulation of the table.

FIG. 2 is an inverted plan view of the rear foot of the table incorporating the improved roller mounting.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the roller mounting showing the roller removed from the foot.

FIG. 4 is a combined view showing the roller mounting in both side and end elevation.

FIG. 5 is a vertical section through the roller and its mounting taken on line 55 of FIG. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings reference characters will be used to denote like parts or structural features in the different views. The invention is shown in use on an ironing table designated generally at 10. The table has the conventional top or board 11 supported over a floor surface by intercrossing front and rear leg members 12 and 14. These legs are interpivoted at 15 at their intersection and the upper ends are pivotally connected to the underside of the top, the rear leg slidable, as denoted at 16, for movement of the legs between an erect condition as shown and a collapsed condition against the underside of the top.

At its lower end the rear leg 14 carries a cross foot 17 which engages the floor to give lateral stability to the table. This cross foot has tubular end portions 18 which carry caps 19 of rubber or the like at their outer ends for frictional engagement with the floor surface. On each of if atent the foot portions 18 and just inside of cap 19, a roller 29 is mounted for rotation on an axis disposed transverse with respect to th table length. These rollers are so disposed relative to caps 19 as to come into engagement with the floor surface when the table is adjusted to a rela tively low height but to be raised from the surface through contact of caps 19 therewith when the table is adjusted to a relatively high height for stand-up ironing. The advantages of this relative positioning of the rollers are fully set forth in the aforementioned pending application.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 the mounting of roller 20 on foot portion 18 will be described in greater detail. The underside of each tubular foot portion 18 has a rectangular opening 21 cut therein which forms a downwardly opening socket. Roller 2G is mounted in the socket by means of a U-shaped clip 22 formed of sheet metal material. The clip has opposing legs 23 which are parallel and so spaced as to fit snugly within the socket 21. A pair of projections 24 are punched inwardly one from each leg 23 and in alignment. These projections extend into the opposite ends of an axial passage 25 provided through the roller 2ft to thus jointly journal the roller for rotation between th legs 23 of the clip.

The clip legs 23 have outwardly directed arcuate flanges 26 provided along their lower or distal edges. These flanges are formed on an arc to conform to and engage against the periphery of the foot portion 18 to limit in sertion of the clip into the socket so that the roller will project th desired distance outwardly from the foot portion 18. Also each leg 23 is provided with an outwardly projecting detent 27 which forms a shoulder spaced from flange 26 to lock the clip in the socket. When the clip is inserted into socket 21 the shoulders 27 will snap past the socket edges and engage against the inner surface of the tubular portion 18.

Detents 27 are located on opposite sides of the axis of projections 24 so that the clip is locked on both sides of said axis.

The simplicity and rapidity of mounting each roller 2% on the foot 17 through use of clip 22 will now be readily understood. The clip is stamped so that legs 23 have a slightly diverging relation. The clip material, being somewhat resilient, allows momentary spreading of the legs 23 for insertion of the roller therebetween until the projections 24 can be inserted into passage 25. This rotatively journals the roller in the clip. The clip with the roller therein is then inserted into the socket 21 with the legs 23 being squeezed toward the roller as the detents 27 pass through the opening. As the detents pass the opposing edges of the opening with the clip under slight compression the legs will snap outwardly with the shoulders on the edges of the detents and flanges combining to securely lock the clip in the foot portion 18. Legs 23 are of such a dimension to fit snugly within the socket 21 to be held against any movement circumferentially of the foot portion 13. With the detents 27 located on opposite edges of the legs 23 the front edge of one leg and the rear edge of the other will engage respectively against the front and rear edges of the socket 211.

It is desirable in many applications to form the roller 20 of a resilient material such as rubber for silence of operation and better frictional contact of the roller with the supporting surface. This also better allows removal of the clip when necessary by squeezing flanges 2e and legs 23 inwardly against the roller until detents 27 clear the socket edges.

It will be readily understood that the construction of clip 22 allows its fabrication by simple stamping operations and that mounting of the roller in the clip and insertion of the clip into the foot or other carrier lend themselves to modern automation procedures.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device for mounting a cylindrical roller having an axial passage on a horizontally extending tubular foot member having a socket opening formed in the bottom portion of the tubular wall thereof, an inverted U-shaped clip member having leg portions extending downwardly on axially opposed sides of the roller, aligned tabs punched one from each of the leg portions and extending inwardly from each leg portion into the roller passage to journal the roller for rotation thereon, arcuate flanges on the remote sides of the leg portions below the tabs to upwardly engage flush against and mate with the tubular wall portions ofthe foot member at the sides of the opening, outwardly projecting detents on the remote sides of the leg portions and on opposite sides of the journal axis formed by the tabs, said detents having downwardly facing locking edges spaced respectively above the adjacent flanges and engaging downwardly against said tubular wall portions to lock said wall portions at each side of the opening between the detents and flanges and hold the clip securely in said opening.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 wherein the clip member is tensioned to urge the leg portions in a relatively spreading direction to retain said detents and flanges in locking engagement with said wall portions of the foot member.

References fitted in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 186,990 Cowell Feb. 6, 1877 2,513,194- Miller June 27, 1950 2,701,425 Rewald Feb. 8, 1955 

